Colva, May 2, 2025: Bringing together the essence of Goa’s cultural legacy and its flourishing local distilling tradition, the 6th edition of the Spirit of Goa Festival commenced today at the SAG Ground, Colva. The festival opened to an enthusiastic audience, bringing together stakeholders from Goa’s distilling industry, culinary landscape, and creative sectors to honour the state’s evolving identity as a destination rooted in tradition and innovation.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Transport, Shri Mauvin Godinho; MLA, Margao Constituency, Shri Digambar Kamat; MLA, Benaulim Constituency, Capt. Venzy Viegas; Director – Tourism, Shri Kedar A. Naik; Deputy Director(Department of Tourism), South, Shri. Rajesh Kale; General Manager, Marketing GTDC Shri Gavin Dias; Dy. General Manager, Marketing, GTDC Shri Deepak Narvekar, and other dignitaries.
Speaking at the inauguration, Hon’ble Minister for Transport, Shri Mauvin Godinho stated, “The Spirit of Goa truly reflects the essence of our beautiful state. Goa continues to be one of the most preferred destinations, consistently leading in tourist footfalls, with visitors arriving from across the world. I am pleased to see that under the leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and the Hon’ble Tourism Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte we are able to host a vibrant festival like the Spirit of Goa. It represents the strength and pride of the Goan people. I was delighted to witness the enthusiastic participation across all sections—be it in cuisine, culture, or local produce. Festivals like this play a vital role in elevating Goa’s tourism industry to greater heights.”
MLA, Margao Constituency, Shri Digambar Kamat shared, “Welcome to the Spirit of Goa 2025. This festival continues to grow—becoming better and bigger with each edition. We’re expecting an even larger crowd this season. I believe our Hon’ble Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant, is committed to taking tourism to hinterlands of the state and focusing on all aspects to make Goa a benchmark in the tourism sector.”
In his address, MLA, Benaulim Constituency, Capt. Venzy Viegas welcomed everyone and thanked the Government and Tourism Minister Shri Rohan Khaunte for hosting the Spirit of Goa Festival at Colva for three consecutive years.
The three day festival will feature a rich showcase of locally distilled beverages—from GI-tagged Feni and infused variations to wines, gins, exotic spirits, and craft beers—reflecting the state’s growing distillation industry. The food experience will complement the drinks perfectly, with a focus on local produce like banana flower, kokum, raw jackfruit, bimla, and mangoes, reimagined through Saraswat, Konkan, Christian and fusion cuisines. Innovative cocktails and food pairings will be a major draw. Interactive sessions such as masterclasses in cocktail making and traditional food preparation, live arts and crafts demonstrations, and the popular cashew stomping activity will create an engaging environment for attendees.
The vote of thanks was presented by Shri Deepak Narvekar, Dy. General Manager, Marketing, GTDC. The Spirit of Goa Festival continues until May 4 and promises more spirited experiences, culture, music, and flavours that truly represent Goa. All are welcome to be part of this unique celebration.
